1930 



* VERONICA perfoliata. 



Perfoliate Veronica. 



DIANDRIA MOKOGYKIA. 

 Nat. ord. ScROPilULARIACE/E. 



VERONICA, L. — Calyx 4-rar6 5-partitus, campaiiulatus vel com- 

 pressus. Coiolla tubo brevlssirao vcl rariiis elongato, limbo 4-partito, laciiiiis 

 omnibus intcgcrrimis pateiit'bus planis, supremo latiore. Stamina 2, ad latera 

 lacinia; corolliiiffi supremoe sita, divcrgenlia, inferiorum vestigia nulla. Antlicra: 

 bilocularcs. loculis apice conflnentibus. Sti<jma vix incrassatum. Capsula: val- 



vultE medio scptifcras v. bipartibiles. Sem'ma nuda. Herboe, suffrutices, iVuti- 



cisve. Folia opposila, alterna vel vcrticillaf.a. Inflorescen'cia axillaris, race- 

 mosa, V. spicata. Flores smpius c(sruloi,v. albi. Benth. Scroph. Ind. p. 44. 



V. pcrfoliata ; foliis ovatis acuniinatis basi connatis integerrimis glaberrimis, 

 racemis latcralibus pedunculaLls multiHoris. Dietr. sp. pi. 1. 524. 



V. perfoliata. R. Br. Prodr. 1. 434. Bot. Mag. 1936. R6m. ^ Sch Si/st. 

 veg. 1. 119. Mant. 1. 112. 



* An old, but not classical Latin name, whose derivation has occupied and 

 perplexed etymologists as much as any upon record. Linnseus thought it a cor- 

 ruption of V'etonica, which, as Professor Martyn observes, confounds it with 

 Bctonica. The same learned writer gives us a Greek etymology, from Hoffmann, 

 ijiepot'tKii, composed of (j)ipoi to bear, and rtkij, victory, or distinction, as if we 

 should say in English, bearing the bell, on account of its beauty. But we doubt 

 whether this be more than a pun. Its common etymology is of a mule kind, 

 between Greek and Latin, from verus, or rather vera, true, and m;oiy, a figure ; 

 and this, illiterate and barbarous as it is, has the sanction of the superstitious 

 legend of St. Veronica, whose handkerchief is recorded to have received the im- 

 pression of our Saviour's face, as be used it, in bearing his cross to the place o( 

 crucifixion. But we find nothing analogous in any of the herbs which have borne 

 this name, nor any character, true or false, stamped upon them, except that of 

 their own peculiar beauty. Ambrosius says the word is German, and originated 

 in the druggists' shops of that country, though he favours the idea of its being 

 corrupted from Vetonica for Belonica, or Betony. The chief object of this 

 controversy is to learn the true pronunciation of the name in question. If there 

 be any truth in its Greek origin, the i must be long ; but if otherwise, the ana- 

 logy of Betnnica may justify the usual practice, of throwing the accent on the o. 

 — Smith. 



